I first met Jack when I went to work for a government technology agency as a student intern, under-filling a programming position. "If you ever run into any really difficult problems," I remember being told, "Go see Jack. He really knows his stuff." Jack was the undisputed grand master guru of the secret mystical arts of the unknown. Jack was responsible for a number of critical systems that were so complex, no one but Jack could figure them out and no one but Jack was allowed to even attempt to touch them. Jack's presence was so critical to the successful operation of these systems, in fact, that Jack could barely ever take a day off, much less schedule any kind of vacation.

I still remember hearing the story of how he once thought he could get away for a much needed and well-deserved rest by going camping into a remote designated wilderness area where no vehicular traffic was allowed. Before he could even set up his tent, he was tracked down by the local forest rangers on horse-back and ridden out to where he could get to a land-line and a trucked-in terminal. Right then and there I decided that I never wanted to be that important-ever! But to Jack, such sacrifices are just an integral component of the burden he proudly carries with him wherever he goes.

Everybody loves Jack
Jack is a great guy. He can do things that the huddled masses couldn't even begin to comprehend. And he always comes in, no matter what time of day or night he's needed. In fact, I once asked the night ops crew down at the mainframe computer facility who they thought were the best developers. It was unanimous: Jack is the greatest. Whenever they call Jack, he is right there. Jack is so amazing, in fact, that sometimes Jack will show up on instinct, before he even gets the call! Sometimes he will work all night, but he never takes a break, rarely complains, and always gets things to work. Always, no matter how many overtime hours he has to log in order to get things to go. Jack is definitely the king.

His customers feel the same way. The people for whom Jack develops software are ecstatic about both his abilities and his responsiveness. "We just don't know what we would do without Jack," they will tell you. "If something were to ever happen to him, I can't imagine how we could even continue." They know that Jack single-handedly holds all of the intricate pieces of the puzzle together in a way that no one else could possibly manage. Stories of his legendary adventures in single-handedly salvaging certain disasters highlight the reverence and esteem with which he is held, as well as underline the fears surrounding his potential loss.